Data sharing has always been part of scientific method, since it allows other researchers to verify and build on existing results. But lack of time and money means many scientists do not share data, according to an article, Data Sharing by Scientists: Practices and Perceptions, published in PLoS One. The authors surveyed the data sharing practices of 1329 scientists, and identified the barriers and enablers of data sharing. The survey showed that many organisations do not provide support to their researchers for data management, either short- or long-term, and that "... barriers to effective data sharing and preservation are deeply rooted in the practices and culture of the research process as well as the researchers themselves. New mandates for data management plans from NSF and other federal agencies and world-wide attention to the need to share and preserve data could lead to changes."